Braves Vs. Rockies Final Score: Atlanta Completes Sweep With 7-2 Victory Over Colorado

The Colorado Rockies didn't have a big lead to cough up once again, but they did lose on Sunday to the Atlanta Braves, 7-2. The Braves, though, did build a 6-0 lead by the middle of the seventh inning before the Rockies finally solved the problem of Brandon Beachy on the mound.

Beachy walked Carlos Gonzalez in the first inning and then gave up a Ramon Hernandez single in the second inning before retiring in a row the next 14 batters. Troy Tulowitzki finally cracked through Beachy's armor and singled to start the seventh inning. Tulowitzki eventually made his way to third on a ground out and a wild pitch before Michael Cuddyer singled him in for the team's first run of the game.

Beachy left the game with one out in the seventh inning and the bases loaded. He saw Cristhian Martinez allow a run to score on fielder's choice Tyler Colvin hit into, putting his day's line at 6.1 innings pitched, two runs allowed, three walks and five strikeouts.

Juan Nicasio allowed six runs over five-plus innings, pitching into the sixth inning without recording an out. A Freddie Freeman three-run home run on the third inning dealt the big blow to the Rockies while Tyler Pastornicky, Dan Uggla and Juan Francisco drove in the next three runs on a ground out and two singles. Uggla struck again during the eighth inning with a home run to left field.

On the wrong end of a three-game sweep, the Rockies (12-15, 8-10 home) begin an eight-game road trip on Monday with a visit to Petco Park to face the San Diego Padres.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies Score Update: Colorado Trails 6-0 After Six Innings

The Colorado Rockies are struggling badly on offense so far as they trail 6-0 to the Atlanta Braves through the six innings on Sunday afternoon. The Rockies have mustered just a single hit so far off Braves starter Brandon Beachy, who continues to establish himself as one of the NL's top starters.

Coming into Sunday's game, Beachy had a 1.38 ERA through his first five starts. He's managed to lower that with six scoreless innings so far against Colorado, giving up just one hit and two walks while striking out five hitters. Colorado's Juan Nicasio hasn't been nearly as successful, giving up four runs on six hits over his first six innings.

Most of Atlanta's damage came in the third inning on a three-run homer from Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, his sixth shot of the season. Freeman is 2-for-2 with a triple, a homer, two runs scored and three RBI so far on the day, plus Juan Francisco has a pair of hits and a walk. Ramon Hernandez has Colorado's lone hit, a single.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Chipper Jones Calls Jamie Moyer 'Paranoid' After Sign-Stealing Accusations

Braves Vs. Rockies Lineups: Jason Giambi Draws Usual Sunday Start

The Colorado Rockies are close to being on the wrong end of a three-game sweep, but they can turn things around on Sunday afternoon should they defeat the Atlanta Braves. The lineup is out and it still packs a punch. The only real change for the day is the as expected start of Jason Giambi at first base. Todd Helton has received Sundays off this season to give provide him with more rest. Ramon Hernandez, who sat out Saturday's game after catching 11 innings on Friday night, is back in the lineup.

Here is the Rockies' lineup:

2B Marco Scutaro
3B Jonathan Herrera
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Jason Giambi
RF Michael Cuddyer
C Ramon Hernandez
CF Dexter Fowler
P Juan Nicasio

And here is the Braves' lineup:

CF Michael Bourn
LF Martin Prado
1B Freddie Freeman
2B Dan Uggla
3B Juan Francisco
C David Ross
SS Tyler Pastornicky
P Brandon Beachy

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies: Juan Nicasio Out To Prevent Sweep At Hands Of Atlanta

The Colorado Rockies have been able to wield big bats against the Atlanta Braves this weekend, but the pitching has spoken softly and led to disaster for the team. Colorado enters Sunday's finale with two straight losses as a result of losing a 5-0 and a 6-0 lead in the previous games. Guillermo Moscoso and Jamie Moyer failed to turn in solid pitching performances, and now the onus is on Juan Nicasio to show that he can do that.

Nicasio (2-0, 4.40 ERA) enters Sunday's contest looking to stay undefeated. He picked up his second win in his last start by allowing two runs in six-plus innings in a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he has been quite hittable so far this season, allowing 35 hits in 28.2 innings.

Brandon Beachy (2-1, 1.38 ERA) has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his five starts this season and has yet to have a disastrous start like the Rockies' pitchers have had in the last two games. Beachy's worst start was his first start of the season, a five-inning, four-runs-allowed performance. Only one of those four runs was earned, but the Braves lost that game, 8-3. Beachy allowed two runs over seven innings in his last start, receiving a no-decision in a 4-2 Braves loss.

Game time/date: 1:10 p.m. MT, Sunday, May 6, 2012

Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO

TV/Radio: ROOT Sports/850 KOA

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies Final Score: Atlanta Defeats Colorado, 13-9

For a second night in a row, the Colorado Rockies built a big lead only to see it disappear and result in a loss. The Atlanta Braves defeated the Rockies, 13-9, in a rain-delayed Saturday night contest.

The Rockies opened up the game with a 6-0 lead on the strength of a Michael Cuddyer grand slam and a Carlos Gonzalez two-run double. But then in the top of the third inning, the Braves slowly chipped away at the Rockies' lead. First it was a run scored as a result of a Carlos Gonzalez failed catch in left field. In the fifth inning, Chipper Jones doubled in a run and then scored on a Brian McCann single, making it a 6-3 Rockies lead. Rockies starter Jamie Moyer was doing just enough to keep the Braves at bay.

Colorado's Wilin Rosario answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run, his third long ball of the season. Those were the last runs Mike Minor allowed in the game as he left after five innings and eight runs allowed.

And then the sixth inning happened. Moyer allowed back-to-back home runs to Matt Diaz and Jason Heyward to start the inning. He walked Tyler Pastornicky and then left the game for Esmil Rogers -- which turned into a disaster. A walk and a single loaded the bases. Chipper Jones struck again with a two-run single. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Freddie Freeman grounded out but plated a run to tie the game at 8-8.

But Rogers wasn't done after that inning. He came back in the seventh and loaded the bases. Rex Brothers came in to fix the mess, but he walked Michael Bourn, forcing in the go-ahead run. Chipper Jones picked up two more RBI on an RBI single up the middle during the next at-bat. A Freeman sacrifice fly made it a 12-8 lead for the Braves.

Wilin Rosario answered back in the bottom half of the inning with his second home run of the game and his fourth this season, but that was all the team received that inning. The game then went into a rain delay, but when the game came back Todd Helton hit into an inning-ending double play with two men on. The Braves added another run in the top of the ninth inning as a result of Tyler Colvin's misplay in center field.

Livan Hernandez closed out the game for the Braves and picked up his first career save.

The Rockies (12-14, 8-9 home) are out to avoid the sweep with a Sunday afternoon game against the Braves. Juan Nicasio and Brandon Beachy are the scheduled starters.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Jeremy Guthrie Injury Update: Rockies Pitcher Will Miss Tuesday Start

The Colorado Rockies only have three pitchers in their rotation at the moment following Guillermo Moscoso's demotion to Triple-A Colorado Springs and the recent news that Jeremy Guthrie will be unable to make a start on Tuesday (via the Denver Post's Patrick Saunders).

Who will join Jamie Moyer, Juan Nicasio and Drew Pomeranz in the rotation? Saunders believes the plan will be to call up Alex White from Triple-A for Tuesday's game and then have Carlos Torres, recalled on Friday to replace Jhoulys Chacin's spot on the rotation, take the mound on Wednesday. Torres is currently available to pitch out of the bullpen.

Pitching has been the bane of the Rockies' existence this season so far, but the team has received more out of Jamie Moyer than most likely expected. Still, that says something when an extremely soft-tossing lefty -- 49 years old, mind you -- is the team's best pitcher.

For more on Colorado, visit Rockies blog Purple Row. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies Lineups: Dexter Fowler Bats 2nd With Chris Nelson In Lineup

The Colorado Rockies take the diamond in a few hours to face the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series. The lineup isn't all that different from Friday night's, but there are a few changes. Dexter Fowler has moved back to the two-hole with Chris Nelson hitting eighth and playing third base. Wilin Rosario, who played third base at the end of Friday's game, is behind the plate. Ramon Hernandez played all 11 innings and could use the rest.

Here is the complete Rockies lineup:

2B Marco Scutaro
CF Dexter Fowler
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Todd Helton
RF Michael Cuddyer
C Wilin Rosario
3B Chris Nelson
P Jamie Moyer

And here is the Braves' lineup:

CF Michael Bourn
3B Chipper Jones
1B Freddie Freeman
C Brian McCann
2B Dan Uggla
LF Matt Diaz
RF Jason Heyward
SS Tyler Pastornicky
P Mike Minor

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Rockies Roster Moves: Adam Ottavino Recalled; Guillermo Moscoso Sent Down; Eric Young Jr. Placed On Bereavement List

The Colorado Rockies recalled catcher/infielder Jordan Pacheco on Saturday afternoon, but that was just the first of a series of moves the team made. The team also recalled reliever Adam Ottavino from the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox. In order to make these moves, the team sent Guillermo Moscoso down to Triple-A and placed Eric Young Jr. on the bereavement list.

Ottavino, picked up off waivers at the start of the season, has worked exclusively out of the bullpen for the Sky Sox this season after being a starter his entire time with the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. He has a 3.60 ERA in 10 appearances/15 innings with 20 strikeouts and seven walks. He previously appeared in the majors for the Cardinals during the 2010 season, starting three game and making two relief appearances. He put up a 46 ERA+ in 22.1 innings.

Moscoso made two starts for the injured Jeremy Guthrie and allowed 12 runs over two starts (9.1 innings). He saw a 5-0 lead on Friday night disappear into a 6-5 deficit by the time he left in the fifth inning. With Moscoso's demotion and Ottavino's arrival, the team has additional bullpen help, especially after the Rockies used six pitchers in relief on Friday.

With Young off the roster for several days, the Rockies now have an extra player who can also play catcher. This allows backup catcher Wilin Rosario, who played third base last night late in the game, to act as a pinch-hitter should the occasion arise during the iteration of the roster.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Colorado Rockies Roster Moves 2012: Jordan Pacheco Called Up

The Colorado Rockies have recalled Jordan Pacheco from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Saturday. No corresponding move has been announced yet, according to Tracy Ringolsby:

Jordan Pacheco to rejoin Rockies today. Called up from AAA.Who goes down? Rosario? Moscoso? Someone elae?

— Tracy Ringolsby (@ROOTSPORTS_TR) May 5, 2012

Pacheco had made the club out of spring training and played in five games (three starts) before he was sent to the minors. He had two hits in 10 at-bats, one being a triple. However, he displayed shaky defense at third base and the team had Jonathan Herrera and Chris Nelson also vying for playing time with him.

He hit .433 with a 1.106 OPS and three home runs in 17 games for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies: Jamie Moyer Looks For 2nd Win At Coors Field

The Colorado Rockies play the Atlanta Braves in the second game of their weekend series on Saturday while looking to make up for Friday night's 9-8 11-inning loss. After making a couple comeback attempts in regulation, the Rockies were unable to overcome Eric Hinske's two-run home run in the top of the 11th inning.

The starting pitching will need to do better than Guillermo Moscoso did with a 5-0 lead in Friday's game. By the end of the fifth inning, the Braves had the lead. This time, Atlanta will deal with Jamie Moyer (1-2, 3.14 ERA). After strong back-to-back starts in which he allowed three runs in 13 innings, Moyer ran into the bad times against the New York Mets last Sunday when he allowed four runs on 11 hits in five innings. Still, Moyer has provided the best starting pitching out of everyone in the rotation and needs to come up with a stabilizing performance on Saturday.

Opposing Moyer will be Mike Minor (2-2, 4.68 ERA). Minor is looking for a rebound from his last start, allowing seven runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates. That was his second bad start of the season, having previously allowed six runs in five innings back on April 8 in his first start of the season. Minor, though, is averaging nearly one strikeout per inning (30 in 32.2 IP). This will be his first career start against the Rockies.

Game time/date: 6:10 p.m. MT, Saturday, May 5, 2012

Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO

TV/Radio: ROOT Sports/850 KOA

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies Final Score: Eric Hinske 11th-Inning Homer Seals 9-8 Victory For Atlanta

There were no dramatic late-inning heroics from the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. But there was for the Atlanta Braves when Eric Hinske hit the go-ahead home run off Edgmer Escalona in the top of the 11th inning for a 9-7 lead. Todd Helton went on to make it a one-run game with an RBI ground out in the bottom half of the inning, but Michael Cuddyer grounded out to end the game in a 9-8 loss.

The Rockies, however, could have had this game easily won had it not been for its starting pitching. Guillermo Moscoso held a 5-0 lead when he returned to the mound for the top of the second inning. Todd Helton and Dexter Fowler each hit two-run singles and Cuddyer singled in the other run in between those plays. But then Moscoso surrendered a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman in the third inning.

The fifth inning proved far worse. He allowed four runs on a Chipper Jones RBI single, a two-run Brian McCann single and a Hinske RBI double. Matt Reynolds, though, was the pitcher on the mound when Hinske drove in the run for the 6-5 lead. Moscoso's night ended after 4.1 innings.

Jonathan Herrera tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with his second home run of the season, but Chipper Jones put the Braves in a 7-6 lead with a home run of his own in the sixth inning. As you have expected by now, the Rockies answered in the bottom of the sixth with Tyler Colvin's run-scoring fielder's choice.

The Rockies (12-13, 8-8 home) will have Jamie Moyer on the mound for Saturday night's contest.

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies Lineups: Fowler Dropped To 8th With Herrera In The Lineup

The Colorado Rockies (12-12) have moved CF Dexter Fowler down to the No. 8 spot in the lineup as the team faces off against SP Tim Hudson and the Atlanta Braves (15-11). Fowler, despite his career-low .313 on-base percentage to start the season, has already hit 4 home runs through 85 plate appearances. In 2011, Fowler hit just 5 home runs in 481 PA.

3B Jonathan Herrera takes Fowler's spot in the No. 2 position in the lineup despite hitting only .256/.306/.382 for a .641 OPS. Here is a look at the lineups for both squads heading into Monday night's game:

#Rockies vs. #Braves, 5/4 6:40pm: Scutaro4, Herrera5, Gonzalez7, Tulowitzki6, Helton3, Cuddyer9, Hernandez2, Fowler8, Moscoso1.

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) May 4, 2012

Tonight's lineup at COL (8:40, PTV/680AM/BRN): Bourn 8 Jones 5 Freeman 3 McCann 2 Uggla 4 Heyward 9 Hinske 7 Wilson 6 Hudson 1

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 4, 2012

For more on these teams, visit Rockies blog Purple Row and Braves blog Talking Chop. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes around the majors.

Braves Vs. Rockies: Colorado Faces Atlanta For First Time In 2012

The Colorado Rockies are hosting the Atlanta Braves on Friday as the two teams kick off their first series of the 2012 season.